EVAN MILLNER'S AESOP. I'm sure many of you are familiar with Evan Millner's wonderful work with the Latinum podcast and his current work developing Latin videos at YouTube. He sent me a note today about his latest series of videos, Lectiones Primae, which feature some Aesop's fables. Take a look/listen!

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is VIDEO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Aliud aliis videtur optimum, "To some people one thing seems best, to other people, some other thing."

3-Word Mottoes: Today's 3-word motto is Secundum naturam vivo (English: I live according to nature).

3-Word Proverbs: Today's 3-word proverb is Quod tuum, tene (English: Hold on to what is yours).

Rhyming Proverbs: Today's proverb with rhyme is: Contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis (English: Against the power of death there is no remedy in the garden).

Vulgate Verse: Today's verse is Stultus verba multiplicat (Ecc. 10:14). For a translation, check out the polyglot Bible, in English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek, at the Sacred Texts Archive online.

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Principium dimidium totius: The beginninge is halfe the hole. There be manie greate delayers. Longe they be ere they can be perswaded to set upon an honest act, so manie perils they cast. To morrow, to morrow they say wee will begin, but this to morrow is ever comming but never present, wherfore who so with good courage ventureth uppon his matters, hat alredy half done.

English: "Do not awake a dog who wants to sleep, and do not reawaken anger after it has been hidden for a long time." The wonderful rhymes here make this a very nice version of our more pedestrian "Let sleeping dogs lie" in English.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Athena and Poseidon. To find out more about the contest between Athena and Poseidon, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

You can see the rival gods Athena and Poseidon facing off here - Athena has her owl, of course, and Poseidon can be recognized his trident. Meanwhile, be sure to notice the female Sphinx on the pillar between them - quite an image! You can find out more about this Etruscan vase painting at this informative Louvre webpage.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is AUTEM - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Alios potes effugere, te autem numquam, "You can flee others; you can never flee yourself."

Latin Animal Proverb: Today's animal proverb is Elephantus culicem non curat (English: An elephant has no interest in a gnat - in other words, don't sweat the small stuff).

Proverbs of Polydorus: Today's proverb from Polydorus is: Sisyphium portas saxum (English: You're carrying the rock of Sisyphus - we've probably all had days like that!).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Zoili sunt (English: They are Zoiluses; from Adagia 2.5.8 - Zoilus was a 4th-century Cynic philosopher who was notorious for being critical of everyone and everything; he was especially famous for his criticisms of Homer, and thus earned the nickname "Homer's scourge," Homeromastix).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Γέρων πίθηκος οὐχ' ἁλίσκεται πάγῃ (English: An old monkey is not caught in a snare... so watch out for us old monkeys, ha ha).

Monday, September 27, 2010

Penelope and Eurycleia. To find out more about Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This lovely painting of Penelope and the faithful servant Eurycleia is by the 18th-century artist Angelika Kauffman. If you are not familiar with her work, check out the Wikipedia article about her to learn more and see more examples of her paintings. I think they are marvelous!

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is ITER - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Iter ad mortem durius quam ipsa mors, "The journey to death is harder than death itself."

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Odysseus and the Sirens. To find out more about the Sirens, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This fifth-century red figure vase painting depicts a famous scene from the Odyssey when Odysseus manages to listen to the son of the bird-women, the Sirens, by making his men fill their ears with wax, while Odysseus has himself tied to the mast so that he can listen to the Siren song without being seduced by its ineluctable summons. (The vase itself is held by the British Museum.)

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is UBI - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Ubi dubium, ibi libertas, "Where there is doubt, there is freedom."

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Conybeare: Clitellae bovi impositae sunt: A packe sadle on a cowe. A proverbe noting a manne as unmeete for an office or dignitie, as a cowe to beare a saddle.

Source: "We mortals die in a thousand ways; we are born in one way; people can get a thosuand diseases, but there is only one way of being healthy." As usual, Owen has packed all kinds of lovely parallels and paradoxes into his little epigram.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Athena and Poseidon. To find out more about the contest between Athena and Poseidon, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This painting by the "Amasis Painter" (you can see where it says AMASIS MEPOIESEN, "Amasis Made Me") shows Athena and Poseidon. In a famous incident, the two gods competed for the favor of the people of Athens; the city did not yet have a divine patron. Athena won the contest by giving the people an olive tree and so the city is known as Athens even now.

For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.Athena and Poseidon. To find out more about the contest between Athena and Poseidon, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Helen of Troy. To find out more about the "face that launched a thousand ships," see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Odysseus and the Sirens. To find out more about the Sirens, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Philemon and Baucis. To find out more about how this couple played host to the gods, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Penelope and Eurycleia. To find out more about Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Nausicaa. To find out more about the Phaeacian princess Nausicaa, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Athena and Poseidon. To find out more about the contest between Athena and Poseidon, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is LITTERA - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Litteris absentes videmus., "By means of letters, we see those who are not here" (one of the most important uses of literacy that I can imagine!).

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Eadem tibi et Pythia et Delia (English: It's the same to you whether they are Pythian or Delian games; from Adagia 2.6.80 - this was a response given by an oracle to Polycrates, who was not sure whether to institute games in honor of Apollo Pythius or Apollo Delius; the oracle told him it didn't matter, and this was because Polycrates would die before he instituted the games!).

Greek Proverb of the Day: Today's proverb is Χελώην Πεγάσῳ συγκρίνεις (English: You're comparing a turtle to Pegasus - which makes a good match for today's easy fable about the turtle that wanted to fly!).

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Pandora. To find out more about Pandora and her famous box, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

In this painting of Pandora by Lawrence Alma-Tadema, you see the fateful moment before Pandora has opened the jar. I especially like the odd detail of the Sphinx decoration on the top of the jar. Here is a close-up of that decoration:

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is the little preposition DE - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: De te fabula narratur, "The fable speaks about you" - even if it might look like the fable is about talking animals, for example!

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Multi qui boves stimulent, pauci aratores (English: Many are those who drive the oxen, but few are the real ploughmen; from Adagia 1.7.9).

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Odysseus in the Court of Alcinous. To find out more about Odysseus and his journey home, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This wonderful illustration for Homer's Odyssey shows Odysseus in the court of Alcinous, King of the Phaeacians. Odysseus has not revealed his identity to the Phaeacians, but when the bard begins to sing a song of Odysseus's own adventures at Troy, he cannot help but begin to weep, covering his face as you can see below.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is REDDO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Reddit fetorem stercus motum graviorem, "Stirred shit stinks worse" (and the Latin rhymes!).

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Dii facientes adiuvant: The Goddess do helpe the doers. Hereby is mente, that the heavenly power is an ayde and helpe, not to loyterers and idle persons, but to laborious and paineful folke, and such as put to their own good willes.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.The Return of Odysseus. To find out more about Odysseus and his journey home, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Heracles and the Hydra. To find out more about the labors of Heracles, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Odysseus in the Court of Alcinous. To find out more about Odysseus and his journey home, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Helen on the Walls of Troy. To find out more about Helen and the Trojan War, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Jason and Medea. To find out more about Medea, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Pandora. To find out more about Pandora and her famous box, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Maenad. To find out more about the frenzied followers of the god Dionysus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Penelope and the Suitors. To find out more about Odysseus and his journey home, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This beautiful fresco by Pinturicchio (housed now in the National Gallery in London), dated to 1509, shows Penelope weaving, besieged by suitors, as she awaits the return of her husband Odysseus. The painting is full of lovely details, like the "painting within a painting" in the background where you can see two of the adventures of Odysseus depicted there (on the left you can see the island of the sorceress Circe who turned Odysseus' men into pigs, and on the right you can see Odysseus listening to the song of the Sirens while strapped to the mast of his ship).

Meanwhile, you can see Odysseus just now entering the house, disguised as an old man, and I wonder if the lovely boy behind the door frame is meant to be Telemachus...? I guess so, as he is not dressed so gaudily as those suitors in the foreground!

Meanwhile, behind Penelope you can see Odysseus' bow, which Penelope has posed as a wedding test - and which will prove to be the suitors' doom when Odysseus reveals his identity! So while the painting is hardly Greek in appearance, it is full of details from the ancient Greek story. Lovely! I like the suitors all dressed up in their fancy clothes!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Orpheus and Eurydice. To find out more about Orpheus and Eurydice, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

This shows the final scene of the sad story of Orpheus and Eurydice: after having successfully petitioned for his wife's return to the land of the living, Orpheus is leading her back home, but is not allowed to look back. We see him here just before he looks back and loses his Eurydice forever.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is INTER - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Tantalus inter undas sitit, "Tantalus thirsts amidst the waves."

Proper Name Proverb from Erasmus: Today's proper name proverb from Erasmus is Mandrabuli more res succedit (English: The thing is going the way of Mandrabulus; from Adagia 1.2.58 - This refers to things that get steadily worse; a certain Mandrabulus once found a treasure and made an offering of a golden sheep to Juno the first year, a silver offering the next year, and bronze offering the year after that).

Monday, September 13, 2010

Orpheus and the Animals. To find out more about Orpheus, the legendary poet and musician, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Orpheus was the great singer and musician of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds; his playing was able to captivate not only humans, but also animals, as you can see in this Roman mosaic; you can compare another mosaic on this same theme here.

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is that tiny little verb AIO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Aut ai aut nega, "Say either 'yea' or 'nay'"

Audio Latin Proverb: Today's audio Latin proverb is Improbe Neptunum accusat, qui iterum naufragium facit (English: The man who shipwrecks a second time unjustly accuses Neptune). To read a brief essay about this proverb and to listen to the audio, visit the Latin Via Proverbs blog.

Animal Proverb from Erasmus: Today's animal proverb from Erasmus is Hydrus in dolio (English: There's a snake in the jar; from Adagia 3.10.98 - The story goes that a man was puzzled by the way the wine level in a sealed jar kept going down, if no one was draining the wine from the outside. At the bottom of the jar there was a water-snake, and it had been drinking the wine!).

Today's image accompanies the podcast for the story of the mice who watched the cat (source) - you can see that the story does not end well for the well-wishing mouse!

VERBUM HODIERNUM: Today's word is AMBULO - read a brief essay about the word at the Verbosum blog. Here's one of the sayings you can find in the essay: Paulatim deambulando, longum conficitur iter., "Walking along a step at a time, you can finish a long journey."

Elizabethan Proverb Commentary: Here is today's proverb commentary, this time by Taverner: Tussis pro crepitu: The Latin Proverbe rose of them, which with a lowde coughe or hem, hide and dissemble their fartinges, which kinde of people even this day not without great laughter be found out. And it maybe applied uppon him, whiche covereth his faulte or frailtie with some other thing. As if a man being taken in the house of a fayre Woman, which had not good name, sayeth that he came thether, to have a shyrte made of her, or for other affaires.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

For more information and links to the actual javascript code, see the Myths & Legends Reference Page.Thetis Consoling Achilles. To find out more about Thetis, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Helen and Menelaus. To find out more about Helen and her husband Menelaus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Cleopatra. To find out more about Cleopatra, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Pandora. To find out more about Pandora and her famous box, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Orpheus and the Animals. To find out more about Orpheus, the legendary poet and musician, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.

Cephalus and Procris. To find out more about Procris and her husband Cephalus, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source.

Orpheus and Eurydice. To find out more about Orpheus and Eurydice, see this Wikipedia article: link; for information about the image: image source. There's also a post here.